Nine strategies

GUT (NINE) - keep it simple
The main ‘gut reaction’ strategy for approaching the day could be described in three words: ‘keep it simple.’ It focuses on the present tense, on the here and now. It avoids any unnecessary, complicating over-involvement of the head or the heart, and simply deals with each situation as it comes around. As a general strategy for meeting the world, ‘keep it simple’ is on the strategy board as strategy number NINE.

GUT + head (EIGHT) - test people out
Stay in the gut zone but add some head influence and we have an approach to the day that still wants to engage directly with people and the world around, but as a secondary priority wants to analyze what is going on, for future reference. Engaging directly, it conducts experiments, and watches for the response. As a general strategy for meeting the world, ‘test people out’ is on the strategy board as strategy number EIGHT.

GUT + heart (ONE) - be on your best behavior
At the other end of the gut zone, we have an approach to the day that still wants to engage directly, but which cares less – in the immediate moment – about learning for the future, and more about the immediate emotional consequences of the engagement for self and for others. This concern is the origin of the all-purpose strategy ‘be on your best behavior’ – on the board at ONE, the heart end of the gut zone.

HEART (THREE) - achieve and lead
For the heart types, the emotional realm is not secondary but primary: heart types long to reach out to the hearts of others. One way to do this is to achieve something that other hearts will respect: this may involve doing something significant on everybody’s behalf, or binding a group together as a leader. As a general strategy for meeting the world, ‘achieve and lead’ is on the strategy board in the center of the heart zone at THREE.

HEART + gut (TWO) - give and care
Stay in the heart zone, but add a strong gut influence, and the result is a longing for emotional engagement that also wants to be practical and direct. Giving and caring are driven primarily from the heart zone, but are also practical and direct: as a general strategy for meeting the world, ‘give and care’ is on the board at TWO.

HEART + head (FOUR) - be true to yourself
Stay in the heart zone, but add a strong head influence, and the individual will ponder at length how best to organize the heart’s interaction with the world. Very aware of the inner life of head and heart – especially heart – the resolution made in sector FOUR is to approach each day and each situation with this one strategy: ‘be true to yourself.’

HEAD (SIX) - stick with what you know
Finally, in the head zone, the main head strategy for approaching the day and meeting the world is ‘stick with what you know.’ This straightforward head strategy is in the center of the head zone at SIX.

HEAD + heart (FIVE) - think it through first
In the head zone but with influence from the heart, there is a concern about all the consequences of any decision to act. In sector FIVE, the head strategy with heart influence is ‘think it through first.’

HEAD + gut (SEVEN) - stay positive come what may
And finally, in the head zone but with a gut influence, there is a calculated determination to be practical and direct, and – it is only logical – to continue being practical and direct, whatever may happen. ‘Stay positive, come what may’ is a head decision – the head strategy with gut influence, at SEVEN.